Vintage Phones

[VegasMike]

I so want to get an old rotary phone for my house...I HATE the digital ring of my stupid phone at home. I'll probably need to keep it stuck somewhere though with the ringer off so I can check voicemail though

 

[dhermann1]

My family's cottage in Chautauqua had a 20's vintage phone all the years I was growing up, and then it disappeared in the 70's. I guess the phone company "upgraded". I've always wanted to find another. It was very similar to a 202, but I don't think it was. It was a local independent phone company, which, according to Lizzie, would mean Stromberg Carlson or somebody else. I found a website (oldphoneworks.com, in the post above) that sells refurbished phones, and they have several interesting exotic models. It's so hard to tell the difference from a web image. It was very like a 202, but had a slightly larger base, I think. And it had a chrome band around the mouth piece. It had such a delicious feel. The dull black bakelight had a nice patina, and the balance and heft were perfect. I suspect it was installed around 1930. Some day I'll find another one!
EDIT: Having researched, I'm now pretty sure it was an Automatic Electric 1A. Pretty rare, and much pricier than a WE 202. Oh, well. I loved that phone.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

hi folks, i just got my very first vintage phone today, an early 60's Automatic Electric wall phone...15 bucks at a local antique store...found it under a pile of old magazines...anyway the white cord in the back was cut off to the back plate and im not sure how to wire it to a modern jack...ill probably end up calling a local antique repair person and ask them a few questions but if any of you wizzes out there can throw in 2 cents i would appreciate it...everything else is fine on the phone...thanks for your help!

also im having problems uploading pictures...they're jpg's but their not uploading...keeps failing..what am doin wrong?

 

[Starius]

hi folks, i just got my very first vintage phone today, an early 60's Automatic Electric wall phone...15 bucks at a local antique store...found it under a pile of old magazines...anyway the white cord in the back was cut off to the back plate and im not sure how to wire it to a modern jack...ill probably end up calling a local antique repair person and ask them a few questions but if any of you wizzes out there can throw in 2 cents i would appreciate it...everything else is fine on the phone...thanks for your help!

also im having problems uploading pictures...they're jpg's but their not uploading...keeps failing..what am doin wrong?

Nice find!

If your phone cable has 4 wires, the colors might be red, yellow, green, and black. When wiring them to a modern Cat5 modular cable, there is a specific way to match them up.

Old phone cable:
T1 = Green
R1 = Red
T2 = Black
R2 = Yellow

Current Cat5 modular:
T1 = White with Blue Stripes
R1 = Blue with White stripes
T2 = White with Orange Stripes
R2 = Orange with White Stripes​

Just match them up accordingly. The standard phoneline just uses 2 of these wires actually, but I couldn't tell you for sure which pair is standard.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Nice find!

If your phone cable has 4 wires, the colors might be red, yellow, green, and black. When wiring them to a modern Cat5 modular cable, there is a specific way to match them up.

Old phone cable:
T1 = Green
R1 = Red
T2 = Black
R2 = Yellow

Current Cat5 modular:
T1 = White with Blue Stripes
R1 = Blue with White stripes
T2 = White with Orange Stripes
R2 = Orange with White Stripes​

Just match them up accordingly. The standard phoneline just uses 2 of these wires actually, but I couldn't tell you for sure which pair is standard.

thanks so much...wish i could show a dang picture...on top from left to right it has: 2 yellow, red, yellow, green, black/green, red/white, and blue...then to the right of that from top to bottom: black/white, orange, black, red, and white/green...feel so dumb i cant post a pic ...mite have to take it in...but i would like to try the Cat5...

 

[Forgotten Man]

Ah neat!

I use a 1938 Western Electric metal square base "Lucy" model... much like most of you own and have pictured. I love that phone... it works so well, and I've gotten rather good at dialing that old rotary! The sound of dialing out is so neat... it makes me feel as if I'm in an old movie!

It feels so nice to hold that heavy black plastic receiver in my hand... and know that phone isn't going to die on me like my cordless... I hate when the batteries run out! Long live the cord!

Funny thing is, when I make a call to a few of my other buddies who have old phones, if they have a candlestick, they really sound like they're calling me from the past! I mean really! Sounds so neat!

FM~

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Hello all, Today I received a dated 1940 Western Electric model 302 phone. It has the heavy (emphasis on heavy!)metal body and bakelite handset. The cloth cords are a modern reprodution and the paint is original. I had to put the LIFE magazine into the photo...it just arrived today also and they looked perfect together!

Thank you for looking!

saw that exact LIFE Magazine in a local antique store today for about 5 bucks...gonna go back and get it couldnt believe it

update: I got it

 

[Starius]

thanks so much...wish i could show a dang picture...on top from left to right it has: 2 yellow, red, yellow, green, black/green, red/white, and blue...then to the right of that from top to bottom: black/white, orange, black, red, and white/green...feel so dumb i cant post a pic ...mite have to take it in...but i would like to try the Cat5...

I found a image diagramming the old quad format that I tried to describe.

But what you are describing there sounds a lot different. If you could post a picture, that would be great. Cause as it sounds, I don't think I've seen anything like it! That sounds like a lot of wires for a phone!

 

[SamMarlowPI]

lol yah no kidding...but i was mistaken to some point...all those wires i described run from the board to different parts of the phone...the white cable with the 4 colored wires was run out of the back plate, which im guessing used to run to the phone jack...it had a red and green wire that were screwed down on the board and then the yellow one was coiled at the top and not in use...SO, im guessing the red and green wires are the ones that run the phone on a modular cable because they were the only 2 connected...just run down to radioshack and see if they have one...

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Love all these phones! I had a repro candlestick phone when I was a kid...it was quite fun!

This thread got me to looking at Ebay, and I was reminded why Ebay can be so frustrating sometimes...when I searched for "vintage phone"s, there were several listing for "vintage cell phones". Hmmmph. How in the world can a cell phone be "vintage"?

But you all certainly have some cool phones! Gotta get me one of those...

mid 80's cell phone, you know, the ones as big as a boombox? technically they can be vintage...over 20 years old...[huh]

 

[Josephine]

I so want a Western Electric 202. I went to the DC Big Flea where the Phone Quest guy has a booth, and my friend Matt (who knows Larry very well) and I were talking about them. I said I wanted a ringer box with it because it has the induction coil which gives you better reception (plus I like the sound of the bell) and Larry was impressed I knew that. Heck, if I'm going to drop $355 on something, I'm going to find out as much as I can about it! But alas finances are not as good as they were and I think I will have to hold off.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

my newly acquired early 40's, die cast Stromberg Carlson...

 

[Sefton]

my newly acquired early 40's, die cast Stromberg Carlson...

Those Stromberg Carlson phones are great. It looks like yours is in good shape too. $5 is a good price for the Life with Betty Davis on the cover-I hope you could snap it up.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Those Stromberg Carlson phones are great. It looks like yours is in good shape too. $5 is a good price for the Life with Betty Davis on the cover-I hope you could snap it up.

thank you...i snapped it alright , unfortunately for a little more than $5, no biggie... but along with an old desk pin...for my loose memos...

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

my newly acquired early 40's, die cast Stromberg Carlson...

Couldn't have chosen a better phone myself.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Couldn't have chosen a better phone myself.

I surely do appreciate it...like a fellow lounger mentioned earlier...its an addiction...i just got my very first vintage phone a few days ago...now this one...jeez louise...

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I surely do appreciate it...like a fellow lounger mentioned earlier...its an addiction...i just got my very first vintage phone a few days ago...now this one...jeez louise...

Collect 'em all.
I need a bigger place for all the phones I want. :eusa_doh:

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Collect 'em all.
I need a bigger place for all the phones I want. :eusa_doh:

you bet i will lol im putting together a vintage office space and i have a feeling its going to look a bit overpowering with all the vintage clutter i have in mind to put in it...be a great working space though...oh yes...

 

[SamMarlowPI]

The early 60's Automatic Electric wall phone I mentioned earlier...still working on it...

 

[SamMarlowPI]

I got the Auto Electric to dial out and receive, thank you Starius, but the little ringer between the bells is not moving far enough to hit them, just kind of vibrating, :eusa_doh: here is a picture

I'm currently working on it, but any assistance would be great thanks!

UPDATE: Fixed it...needed to loosen the nut up above to let the mallet move more freely...works great!!!!!